Elder Simon Li 李昊然長老﻿

Our exchange with the Highland YSA Elders; E. Nelson and Gilson: was on Tuesday, and I went with E. Nelson to the YSA Area. Their area is doing really good; they are still finding new investigators despite a tight schedule of many teaching appointments, and finding teaching opportunities. They teach well and have always had wonderful lesson plans; yet, when I asked, they haven't really discussed as a companionship as to how to apply the training we got at Zone training on lesson plans; but their teaching is really solid, so maybe they don't need improvement. They did great work, and are sacrificing their time for their investigators, let's just hope they oym a bit more (they got 2 hrs of service that day).

The temple was a wonderful experience that I was surprised coming out with a greater commitment to fulfil my calling; the Lord cannot provide, or will not, when i've not been a proper steward over what I've already been given. I gave a talk on obedience, and I felt the immediate effects of the lack of my own testimony. I've always been good and obedient, but i can say I've not sought out the Lord's command, and I realized I NEED to fulfil what I've been sent to do! Baptize!!!

The service in the areas is really improving; we find a lot of personal projects; we are getting more and more service opportunities, but there seems to be an imbalance in how the service transfers to the stake service coordinators. We hope to allow the stake and branch to come and participate; I would almost rather they took over the project. I hope they don't have to wait for exact commands to go forward with just serve.

Anyways, the second exchange was with the Hayward 1st elders, E Parker and Gillie; I went with Elder Parker in the Chinese area. I hope I can get more opportunities to work with Elders liek elder Parker, he was supportive and experienced as we went through the long day! There were many situations where I felt like I was breaking and couldn't take the pressure; planning and study felt so ineffective because I haven't had meaningful planning and study in such a long time. But working with Elder Parker did help a lot, and just being able to speak English normally was very relaxing! I know the planning needs to improve, but sometimes I don't know how! I'm realizing all these lessons, all these things I'm trying to accomplish are essential, but the way we accomplish it, how, is much more important. So Elder Parker let me see for myself how I should be conducting myself. We had meaningful English class and finding, and despite the car crash we had, and all the chaos, we had a very productive day! GONG XI FA TSAI Happy Chinese new year

A question on exchanges; how involved should I be in another area's planning? I mean I want to see and evaluate their planning, but I also want to help them. What parts should I be involved in?

Finding and teaching new investigators is such a joyful feeling; a feeling Elder Bednar calls the Power of the Atonement, and one that Lehi talks as partaking that fruit from the Tree of Life. A growing hope we all share (missionary and investigators alike) is that revelations we receive from God are going to change everything for us!

Beginning to teach one of our progressing investigators, Kayla Yang, was such a hopeful and happy experience for me. She's from Shan Xi, and has gone through many trials and changes this past year. Her life and story is completely different from anyone I've met! She traveled to New York and tried going to school there; running out of money and having no school, she flew to San Francisco, and met some Elders there, and was impressed by their kindness. Basically she's gone through a lot of missionaries, because she got transferred to some Chinese Sisters in Union City, and THEN to us.

Now before I continue, I just want to talk about the power of Covenants. The Lord has used Covenants in all dispensations and by his prophets and guidance. I cannot say I know the Lord's ways, but I feel like he has given us these commitments as a way to direct our faith! We have great hopes and desires that spread across all aspects of our life, and really are simply rooted in who we are; but the power of a promise is the direction of all that power and emotion. Imagine a young couple who've had good intentions for each other, and want to move forward with a marriage! Just dating and spending that time learning and experiencing each others desires is a rollercoaster of emotions; so there is a lot of thoughts floating around! As they approach their wedding day, they gather all that they've experienced, and try to see the good in it. It's a big step, and a decision. Saying "I do" takes a lot more than a wedding planner. And so does any other commitment, it takes work, careful planning, and all the elements of surprise. (Congrats Megan!!!! get me a nephew soon;)Of course, one of the commitments we try to help people make is Baptism. Working towards that can be extremely fast, and totally depends on the investigators' needs and thoughts; entirely their desire, not the missionaries'!

Our first lessons with Kayla was overflowing with emotions (she speaks extremely good english, so lessons flowed well); consoling with us her worries and her hopes. Our members testified strongly of their own conversions and spirituality when Kayla mentioned her desires to learn about God, and what she needs to do to meet Him! She's felt vulnerable her whole life, even in her family, and she's had to go desperate measures to get help; all of this led up to an experience where she was at a Hostel, and in the shower, all the worries of having to leave America (she loves america! Like she wants an american boy now...) because of no direction and help. The water washed her tears away, but not the sorrow that grew inside; she finally begged God that she would do anything if she could just stay. She heard a voice, "You don't have to go". Long story short, with all these signs of faith and trials she's experienced, she sees this baptism and relationship as a way to connect all the experiences that she's had in America, and before. Having this desire, it was no surprise that when we gave her her own scriptures and taught her to pray, she was jumping for joy!!!!

An absolutely amazing lesson; and that is the power of commitments.

Another power of commitments is equally powerful; I truly believe they should be used carefully because they simply are a magnification and direction of commitments. One example with Kayla again is what happened on exchanges this week. No matter the knowledge, and no matter the people, nothing can be learned without the Spirit. Elder Lau on exchanges with Elder Nelson went with our Branch President and an English ward member (because we don't have enough Chinese) taught a lesson on the Word of Wisdom. They taught it and committed her; and one thing about Kayla is she doesn't like people telling her what to do. She's lived with many people that overexamined everything she did, and made her do it the "way things should be done". So reflecting the feelings she had then, and how comfortable she was in the lesson, she dropped us. And that is the power of bad commitments. I was majorly disappointed that it had happened, and I'm not sure if we can fix this. I hope that I might find a new solace in the work, but the things I hoped and learned for our investigators will always take its place of comfort with me.

Sorry I missed you last week! This new transfer is so new and it's hard because we took a new area adding to the area now! The chinese sisters in our area were closed, and the area they had was absorbed! We're in car now and it's super conflicting to choose what to drive!

The time we spent in car flipped our companionship upside down! Elder Lau and I have worked bike areas our whole mission, so having a car really gave us a hard choice to make; I realize I could have, and still can ask for Heavenly Father's counsel.

This week, all of the focus of our Zone and District lead to preparing to receive this message from E. Anderson. Zone focus was to find Humility through Gratitude, and the district focus was to watch E. Andersen for signs of Humility. I was extremely prepared and with a spirit of looking inward, I kept finding new ways to work with myself and Elder Lau. Our relationship is entirely changing, and I am seeing that gratitude is something I can carry glorifying into eternity. So I realized that it's something I should live, and pray for the Lord's help in growing my testimony. I've always thought these things, but I've never acted on them before until I was invited by Elder Maynes and Elder Andersen. I know each of us is striving to be good, loyal people, but it was still humbling to find new ways that we should be honest from E. Andersen.

Reflecting from E. Andersons visit this week, he simply taught us to be Honest. To look within if we are living the Gospel to every commandment, with a willing heart. The elder next to me was talking and sharing ideas from the conference; and he shared the exact same scripture you did (Ether 12:27), with this thought. From Elder Boyd K Packer, from E. Andersen, he helped us know we are nobodys, to compare to the eternal truth that Heavenly Father is immensely greater than we are; and compared to him, we are nobody. Anyways, if we feel awful about ourselves; it's not wrong or out of order; "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness." You're going the right direction, coming closer to christ!

I saw a principle that reminded of the Savior, when E. Anderson and S. Anderson, tried to teach us through their grandchildren. This reminded me of the Savior's mode of teaching through parables; teaching in a new mode because the people did not get it the first time! I am striving to seek out God, and as we were teaching a new potential referral, we had the most amazing lesson with an investigator with great testimonies from members, but we were able to tie all her emotions and thoughts into reading the Book of Mormon, praying, and seeking out God. She literally jumped for joy when we gave her a Book of Mormon! I was surprised.!

I feel so confused about how I can write to all these people every week, but I know if I can write in my journal everynight, I'll be able to focus and get things done this week! I am so sad that all the experiences I had for this week are almost nothing because I didn't record it!!

I had the most amazing week, and I feel like it just gets better : All my my dreams are happening, but I just need to be able to manage my time! Guess CH 8 can help out!